Touch the Earth



Last updated Friday, January 27, 2023

Author: Julian Lennon and Bart Davis
Illustrator: Smiljana Coh
Date of Publication: 2017
ISBN: 1510720839
Grade Level: Kindergarten    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Jan. 2023

Synopsis: This interactive book immerses children in a fun and unique journey. Jump aboard the White Feather Flier, a magical plane that can go wherever you want!

- Just press a button printed on the page, and point the plane up in the air to fly, or down to land it!
- Fly to the top of a mountain!
- Send clean water to thirsty people!
- Dive deep into the ocean (the Flier turns into a submarine!) to pick up pollution and bring back the fish!
- Explore the planet, meet new people, and help make the world a better place!

The Flier's mission is to transport readers around the world, to engage them in helping to save the environment, and to teach one and all to love our planet.

Note to readers:
•  This is a beautiful story written by the son of John Lennon. The WHITE FEATHER is an image the author uses to turn into an airplane. The ‘feather-plane’ travels around the planet to find ways to protect our oceans and land. We want out kids to dream and act to have a healthy planet.
•  The postive message: DON’T GIVE UP. The negative message: DON’T MAKE FUN OF OTHERS

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  What do you see on the cover of this book?
•  Do you see an airplane with feathers for wings and all the kids onboard?
•  Raise your hand if you want to pretend to be on this plane.
•  Okay, put on your seatbelts for our flight around our planet EARTH.

Vocabulary:

•  COMPASS—-A round tool to show which direction we are pointing to—N, S, W, E
•  YUCKY—MESSY
•  RESOURCE—-Our EARTH has natural RESOURCES—Water, Rocks, Sand, Dirt

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  Raise your hand if you want to HELP OUR EARTH—-
•  What do you choose to do to help?

Craft ideas:
•  Let’s use white paper to cut out a FEATHER. We will snip the edges to make it fluffy. Using blue paper we will paste the white feather ready to fly. Add one thing you want to make better on our earth. The sample shows the FEATHER PLANE flying over fish to get all the trash out of our oceans.

Special activities:
•  Show how to remember NORTH—OUR HEAD; SOUTH—OUR STOMACH; WEST—LEFT ARM; EAST—RIGHT ARM.

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!